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Professor's murder unravels family's dark secrets
19 Sep
Summary
- Law professor Dan Markel was murdered in 2014 after a custody dispute.
- His ex-wife's mother and brother were convicted in a murder-for-hire plot.
- Investigators used wiretaps and cell records to build the case.
In July 2014, Florida State University law professor Dan Markel was fatally shot outside his Tallahassee home, dying the following day. The murder, initially a mystery, was later revealed to be a murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by members of his ex-wife's family following a bitter custody battle.
Prosecutors theorized that Wendi Adelson's mother, Donna Adelson, motivated by anger over Markel's refusal to allow their grandchildren to move to South Florida, helped orchestrate the killing. Her son, Charlie Adelson, was found to have arranged the murder through his then-girlfriend, Katherine Magbanua, who connected him to the hitmen.
Over the subsequent decade, investigators employed extensive surveillance, cellphone records, and financial data. Crucially, hundreds of FBI wiretapped conversations provided a significant window into the Adelson family's involvement and their perceived impunity.
In 2023, Charlie Adelson was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation. In 2025, Donna Adelson was also convicted of murder, conspiracy, and solicitation, receiving a life sentence. Katherine Magbanua and Sigfredo Garcia were convicted of murder, while Luis Rivera received a prison sentence for his role. Wendi Adelson has consistently denied any involvement in her ex-husband's death and has not been charged.
